Reviews by BeerManDan:

The color when poured in pint glass was medium dark brown with a minimum amount of foam and no lace. The smell of roasted malts was very evident, along with a hint of chocolate. The taste was of the roasted malts (bitter/sweet) and a touch of chocolate and caramel. Nice long flavorful bitter/sweet aftertaste. Just remember the is a malt ale and that is exactly what it is!!! (376 characters)

Pours a slightly hazy, deep chestnut brown body beneath a creamy head of khaki foam. The head drops slowly but it maintains a solid surface covering, and it still manages to leave craggy streaks and tiny spots of lace behind.

The aroma is distinctly fruity (apple, pear, dried apricot, grape) over a light malt base of caramel and nuts, backed by some light floral and leafy hops.

The flavor follows suit, and it's surprisingly fruity and estery. I'm guessing that it's fermented at a fairly high temperature as I also seem to be finding some higher alcohols amidst its 8.0 % a.b.v. As it warms the malt widens a bit and it becomes sweeter, offering a more appropriate base for the wide fruitiness. The hops appear towards the swallow shifting gears a little bit, and adding depth. There's not a whole lot of bitterness present, but along with the leafy, floral, and somewhat earthy hops it does develop a dry, balancing finish.

In the mouth it's medium-full with a creamy smooth, moderate carbonation that gently caresses the tongue.

Everything considered, it's an interesting beer that's surprisingly unique. The execution could be better, but its charm more than makes up for its faults. (1,353 characters)

500ml bottle poured into a chalice.Nice dark browninsh amber with decent head on the pour, fades and leaves no lace.Aroma is pleasant and fresh, some root beer spice notes. The palate is quite pleasing with some more of that unexpected clovey spice, and a good balance of malt and soft bitterness. I am not sure how classic a bock this is, but I like it. (357 characters)

I picked this up at Trader Joe's in Glen Ellyn, IL for $2.79. 500ml swing top bottle with no freshness date.

The beer poured a slightly hazed light caramel color with a 2½-finger light beige head. Retention was only a minute long and lacing consisted of a few sticky splotches.'The beer smells wonderfully malty and sweet. There's also a bit of a bubble gum scent.

The taste is not as strong as the smell led me to believe it would be, and it doesn't really live up to the "double dark" name on the label. Still, sweet caramel malt and brown sugar are the predoninent flavors along with some dark cherry fruit. After the initial light dose of sweetness, a mild hop bitterness and some sour twang come into play. The 8% alcohol, while noticeable, isn't that unpleasant.

Not that thick for a sweet beer. In fact it's only medium bodied at best. Carbonation is also on the moderate side.

This isn't bad. I liked it, but if you're going to call yourself a double anything, it ought to have more punch (flavor) to it. (1,019 characters)

Picked this one up at the Trader Joe's in Charlottesville... it was priced at only about $2.69, so I imagine I can't complain about value.

A: Pours a somewhat hazy copper, with a nice billowing head--almost three fingers tall! It recedes to about a half finger within a couple of minutes.

S + T: Rather fruity... almost like a cherry skin scent in there, along with some malty sweetness. It smells like it will taste quite sweet. That's a little deceiving, though, as the flavor comes across as a little bit muted. Toasted malts, and a little spiciness.

M + D: Medium bodied, rather plain. I would prefer a little more carbonation or crispness. Not a bad beer, but not one I'll be repeating anytime soon. (709 characters)

500ml swing top bottle ( very attractive package) from TJs Salem Oregon, $3.49 Amber/orange ale with a big ole thick bubbly off white head Subdued aromas..mainlly creamy cereal,roasted peanut..not that bad really Taste is again of course malty..bready,hay..slightly toasted..some semi-dark coffee bittering at the very end. I actually liked the mouthfeel..its rich enough yet still easy..only a touch of the alcohol. I actually did like this beer but its no doppelbock..a nice strong bock/ale hybrid (499 characters)

S: Immediate biscuity malt scent fills the room - no surprise as this says it is a malt ale on the label. A bit of wet cardboard; reminds me a bit of a malt liquor. Not bad, but not good either.

T: Very much a malt bomb. Bready, doughy, yeasty malt upfront, sweeter biscuit malt as it coats the tongue, and more malt on the - wait a minute - nice, subtle hop(?) bitterness balances out and blends with the finish (which lasts forever), especially on the exhale. Not at trace of alcohol to be found - amazing for 8%abv. Taste is much better than the smell!

M: Medium body, though somewhat thicker and slicker than I would have thought - I suppose that is part of the extra long finish.

O: This is my first go at this style since I started reviewing. While I lean more to West Coast DIPAs and Belgian styles, this is something that will be in my fridge again when the malt mood strikes. Enjoyable experiment - TY to the Trader Joe's guy that recommended trying it! (1,269 characters)

500 ml bottle from Trader Joe’s. Pours red with a short lived white head and lively carbonation. Aroma is of caramel malt, grassy hops and some funk. Malt, hops and booze unpleasantly combine on the palate. It was a drain pour beer for me. What a waste of money. (264 characters)